In mysterious Kafiristan, literally "land of
the infidels," lived the last of Afghanistan's
idolators. For nearly a thousand years the
Kafirs isolated themselves in a mountainous
pocket 150 miles northeast of Kabul. Not
until 1895 did the Afghan armies of Amir
Abdur Rahman march in to burn their idols
and convert the Kafirs to Islam. Now the
area is called Nuristan, "land of light."
Nuristan is still off the beaten path, and I
needed special government permission for my
visit. Officials were worried by recent rumors
of tribal fighting.
Along a raging river in the heart of Nuri
stan our Land-Rover was hailed by a band of
armed men. They were returning to their vil
lage from a skirmish with the Gujars, they told
us, and did we have room for them? We man
aged to squeeze all six in amid our baggage.
The leader of the footsore squad was Ghu
lam Dastigir Khan. He was as tall and thin as
his rifle, with fine features and a pointed beard.
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